


Prank Calls

by woolfverse



Series: Woolfverse [14]
Category: Temeraire - Novik
Genre: 1990s, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Coming Out, Conversation, Domestic, Fluff, Gen, LGBTQ Character, Parenthood, Teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-02-28
Updated: 2010-02-28
Packaged: 2017-10-07 14:35:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/66084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/woolfverse/pseuds/woolfverse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A side diversion at a different Laurence household.  George Laurence receives a phone call he can't quite believe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Prank Calls

George set the phone down in its cradle, eyebrows knit together in a frown that, while not unfamiliar to his face, usually was not quite so deep. "That," he told his wife, "was the strangest phone call I've ever gotten."

"What did Will want?" she asked, then turned back to spoon another mouthful of mashed carrots into baby Ned's mouth.

"I think he's just prank called me." George patted the top of Ned's head as he passed his high chair, and found his hand coming away with a few spots of mashed carrot. "He says he's bringing a man with him to Christmas this year."

"Well, that's quite nice," Elizabeth replied. "He's been off active duty for two years now, he ought to be making friends."

George shook his head and went to find a tea towel. "No, they're, ah--_more_ than friends. He outs with it that he's gay, then finds an excuse to be called away from the phone and says goodbye. He can't be serious."

Elizabeth's raised eyebrows quickly furrowed in an echo of her husband's. "Well--he always did seem a bit--_you_ know." She paused, thoughtful, and another spoonful of lunch went down Ned's front. "He wears his hair rather long."

"_I_ used to wear my hair that way," George pointed out, unable to keep the vexation from his voice. Somewhere upstairs, Geordie and Perry were shrieking at each other.

"Yes, but you never tied it with a ribbon," Elizabeth laughed. She set down the jar of baby food well out of Ned's reach and came over to give him a peck on the cheek. "Besides, I think you've proved your heterosexuality several times over."

"You don't understand!" he protested weakly. "Will's got a kid, too! She's older than Geordie."

"We can let your choice of hair accessories speak for itself, then," she told him as she went back to feeding Ned. "Could you go check on the boys? Last time they were making such a racket, they'd unspooled all the toilet paper."

"All right, all right," he grumbled, but kissed her in return as he passed once more on the way towards the stairs.

"Show them who's boss, darling!" she called after him, laughter in her voice yet.

**Author's Note:**

> Set in 1998, amid the eldest Laurence brother's ridiculous brood of children. This is the last bit of a specific five-part story arc; the previous stories can be found directly before this one.


End file.
